‘My Green Passport, My Pride’ — Outgoing AfDB President Adesina Says, ‘I Will Serve Nigeria In Any Capacity’

Adesina, who was first elected as the 8th President of AfDB on May 28, 2015, will complete his second term at the bank in the second quarter of this year.

The former Minister of Agriculture, during an interview with Arise Television, yesterday, said, “Look, the only thing that makes me happy is nothing else than seeing the lives of people transform. That is what gives me satisfaction. As a result, I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”

When asked about his next move and whether he would run for President of Nigeria, Adesina responded: “One of the things that I am grateful for as a Nigerian: many, many years ago, when I was in graduate school in Nigeria, even after that, I had an opportunity to obtain a United States visa. I was given a great visa, and I could have obtained US citizenship. But I rejected it, not because I don’t like America. My kids are Americans; they were born there. I remember telling a colleague of mine that this passport is a Nigerian passport, a green passport, that I cannot and will never trade it for anything.

“It gives me a lot of grief wherever I go with family, my kids are probably asked to go right through, and I am asked to stay behind. They ask you all kinds of funny questions, where were you born, when do you hope to die? They ask any kind of question, just to make sure that you don’t get it.”

According to him, God did not make a mistake in making him a Nigerian or an African.

He added: “I will live as a Nigerian, and I will walk by the special grace of God. But that passport, that green passport, will be respected just like everyone else in the world.

“You don’t beg for respect. You earn respect. So, on what I will do after (my tenure as AfDB president), I always believe in divine providence, the grace of God. I don’t see myself as more than just an instrument in the hands of God to help people.”

Adesina alluded to one of the songs by pop artiste, Davido, ‘I’m unavailable, dem no dey see me.’

“But in the case where it comes to service of any kind, I would ask Davido to change that song, ‘I am available, they will see me.’ I will. I will be available to serve in God’s hands for anything that God has in store for my life.”